David CAMPBELL

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CAMPBELL: David Campbell, QC. Deceased: North Sydney, Nova Scotia, October 26, 2012. Born July 17, 1943, Dave grew up in Florence, Nova Scotia. He graduated from Sydney Mines High School and initially entered teaching as a career. He soon realized, however, that teaching was not his niche and in 1965, enrolled in St. Francis Xavier University. From May to August, 1966, Dave worked as a student minister in Birch River, Manitoba. That fall he started at United College, Winnipeg, became Senior Stick, and graduated in 1967 with a B.A. He then entered the faculty of law at Dalhousie, but transferred back to the U of M for his last two years. Dave articled with the Attorney General’s Department in Winnipeg, then moved to their office in Regina. After being told by a good friend of an opening in Brandon, he entered into private practice in 1975, where he excelled as a defence attorney. Mr. Justice Peter Morse commented, after a trial, that Dave’s cross-examination was the most brilliant he had witnessed over the course of his lengthy judicial career. Dave was awarded the honour of Queen’s Counsel in 1983. An avid reader of history and biographies, Dave somehow gained special privileges at the Winnipeg Public Library. This allowed him to borrow dozens of books at a time. That, in turn, led to two excursions to the south eastern United States in order to visit Civil War battlefields. As a result of his outward nature and wonderful sense of humour, Dave developed a wealth of close friends wherever he went. A man of many interests and talents, he was in constant demand as a dinner guest. His caricatures were a delight, as he possessed an uncanny ability to capture people’s hidden quirks. He joined Brandon’s Masonic Lodge and became a base drummer in the Shriner’s Pipes and Drums. He was also active in the Officers Mess where he loved playing Liars Dice. After running unsuccessfully for the Liberal Party in two federal elections, Dave was asked by a TV commentator why he thought he had lost. He grinned, immediately quipped, “Not enough people voted for me!”, then burst into uproarious laughter. Upon his return to Nova Scotia in 1991, Dave continued in private practice for some years, then worked for Legal Aid Nova Scotia. Mourning his loss are many, many friends and colleagues here in the west. He was one of a kind.Fondly remembered,Garry and Colleen Miller

As published in Brandon Sun on Jan 12, 2013